Network Slice Support Mapping for Informed UE Service Requests
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
In 5G communication systems, user equipment (UE) may move to areas where supported network slices change or new slices become available, leading to unnecessary requests for unsupported slices, increased signaling overhead, and latency.
Innovation Solution
A network entity transmits slice support information to UE, indicating supported and unsupported network slices in different slice support areas, allowing the UE to maintain awareness of slice availability and make informed service requests.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Adaptability or versatility
If the UE requests service for network slices without awareness of slice support areas, then the UE can attempt to access any slice, but this leads to increased signaling overhead and latency due to requests for unsupported slices
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary actions by determining slice support areas and storing this information before the UE needs to access slices. The network proactively manages slice availability information, so when the UE makes service requests, it can do so with knowledge of supported slices, avoiding unnecessary signaling for unsupported slices
Solution Approach 2:
The system implements feedback mechanisms where the network determines and communicates slice support area information to the UE. This feedback loop allows the UE to adjust its slice selection based on actual network capabilities in different areas, preventing wasted signaling attempts on unsupported slices
2Loss of information
If the network provides comprehensive slice support information to all UEs, then the UE awareness of slice availability is improved, but this increases network signaling overhead and system complexity
Solution Approach 1:
The network entity determines slice support areas on a local basis, where each area has specific slice support characteristics. The system divides the network into distinct slice support areas, and the network entity maintains information about which slices are supported in which areas, providing locally optimized information rather than universal blanket information
Solution Approach 2:
The network entity autonomously determines slice support areas and manages the information without requiring external intervention. The system self-manages the complexity of tracking slice availability across different areas, reducing the burden on other network components and the UE
3Adaptability or versatility
If the UE moves between areas with different slice support, then the UE can access diverse network services, but the UE may request unsupported slices leading to failed access attempts
Solution Approach 1:
The network performs preliminary determination of slice support areas and stores this information proactively. When the UE moves to a new area, the network already has the slice support information ready, allowing the UE to quickly adapt to the new area's capabilities without making failed access attempts
Solution Approach 2:
The system provides feedback to the UE about which slices are supported in the current area. This feedback mechanism ensures the UE has accurate information about available slices when moving between areas, improving the reliability of slice access by preventing requests for unsupported slices
Data Source
AI summary
A network entity is proposed for controlling the use, by a user equipment, of network slices of a communication network comprising a plurality of slice support areas. Each slice support area comprises at least one cell, and all cells of a given slice support area support the same network slices. A registration area for the registration of the user equipment with the communication network comprises at least one slice support area. The network entity is adapted to transmit, to the user equipment, slice support information for at least one slice support area of the communication network. The slice support information for a given slice support area indicates at least one network slice supported by the given slice support area and/or at least one network slice not supported by the given slice support area.